4 players who could steal Opening Day roster spots for the Twins

David Festa

If there's been a theme this offseason for the Twins it's pitching depth, and that's going to be a focus in Spring Training. With the team failing to properly replace Sonny Gray via free agency or trade, the task of filling the void falls on the in-house talent the team has been hyping up all offseason.

We've heard this song before, as talent already on the team was justification Minnesota's front office used to explain why the team didn't make any moves at the trade deadline. Now that we've gone an entire offseason without a notable pitching addition, that same reasoning is being trotted out -- and there's admittedly some merit to it.

David Festa is at the front of the line for players bubbling under the Major League surface who could soon have a massive impact on the roster. He's the No. 4 prospect in the organization, according to The Athletic, and is the top pitching prospect next two Marco Raya.

Between the end of July and beginning of September last year, Festa posted a 2.40 ERA and a 35 percent strikeout rate across 30 innings of work and went 9-4 with a 2.43 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings back in 2022.

That's the sort of stuff that has rightly put him on the radar for potentially getting onto the big league roster this season, and more of that in Spring Training could make a compelling argument to get him on the Opening Day roster.

It's a long shot, but the Twins need to find pitching depth before it truly becomes a need. Taking a chance on Festa fits the general vibe the team has of hoping in-house candidates can band together and replace what was lost with Gray and Kenta Maeda leaving in free agency.

The No. 5 starter role is a wide open competition, even if Anthony DeSclafani has the inside track, and if Festa can prove himself in Fort Myers then it might be hard to keep him off the roster in April.